One of the advantages of finding designer clothing and accessories online is that you can find items that cost a lot less than you would at a boutique or department store. In fact, many online outlets feature consignment shops with recycled designer clothing and accessories. In some cases, you can swap items with others. You can have fun on these sites creating your fashion diaries or filling a virtual closet as well as buy your favorite pieces to get the designer gear you have always wanted.

One way you can search through online consignment shops is through your favorite designers. Sometimes their creations are organized through collections or closets that feature everything from tops and bottoms to hats, sunglasses and jewelry. Typically, these designers come from all over the world including fashion capitals such as Paris, New York, London, Venice and Los Angeles, so you can look for designers you already know or even discover new ones.

Tastemakers

You do not have to restrict your search to only designers when you want to see the latest in designer fashion online. There are also plenty of tastemakers all over the world with insider knowledge of the best in fashion and they make their way to these online consignment shops. For instance, the site Walk in My Closet includes a number of designers as well as fashion editors and stylists who enjoy creating their own collections from their favorite designers and sharing them with visitors to the site. You can see how the experts put together their looks with accessible fashion.

Personal Closets

Many of these sites also allow you to create wishlists or, in the case of Walk in My Closet, your own personal closet of designer fashion online. As you peruse through designer collections, you can pick and choose items to add to your closet as well as check out other users’ closets to get a sense of their style. You do not have to be a jewelry designer, creator or other type of insider in order to create an impression with your closet.

Selling Items

In addition to buying and exchanging items, consignment shops online also allow you to sell your used fashions. Of course, each site has its own rules, but you generally want to make sure your items are in gently used condition. Some shops allow you to send in your old clothes to let them handle the exchange, but you may also take photos of your items and upload them to the site if you want to handle tasks such as processing, shipping and handling yourself.

Fashionistas have a home with designer fashion online whether you simply want to browse or create your dream closet. However, these online shops also allow you to recycle your fashions, so you can update your look for a fraction of the costs. Each shop has its own guidelines for buying, exchanging and selling, so you want to make sure you know the rules when you plan on recycling your own designer fashions.

Anne Carter lives and shops mainly in New York. She also tries to keep abreast with all of the most recent fashion news.

A previous article on o5 itemised the 10 things every woman should have, and it seems only fair that a similar article focusing on the 10 items that every self-respecting man should have be prepared too. So here’s the list … here are 10 items, listed in no particular order, that every man should have.

Swimsuit season is almost here, and with it a parade of colorful, fun and flirty silhouettes for the beach. Don your sunhat and sunglasses and cover up with one of these cute and on-trend ideas for summer bathing suits.

Neon accents - Neon trim adds a wild vibe to swimsuits and can contribute just the right splash of color without making you look like a traffic cone. If you’re body-conscious, consider an all-black swimsuit with a touch of neon on the straps or bustier. This will flatter your curves and modernize your look. For a two-tone trend idea, try a black and white chevron bikini with neon edges. Chevron and neon together = total trendspotted.

Animal print - You may not be a cougar, but you can definitely dress like one at the beach. From graphic one-pieces with animal faces to bikinis and tank suits with leopard, jaguar, and zebra stripes, animal print is shaping up to be one of the summer’s hottest looks. Pair an animal print suit with a basic black or colored sarong to keep the focus on your suit.

Cutouts – Dynamic cutouts add mystery to any bathing suit without overexposing your assets. Look for a one-piece suit with side cutouts to reveal your curves. It’s the perfect compromise between a one piece and a bikini, which makes it ideal for that family vacation where you want to look sexy without revealing everything in front of Grandma. Don’t forget the sunscreen with a cutout suit; you could end up with some super weird tan lines.

Ruffles – Ruffles not only add a feminine touch to a suit, they can strategically add oomph for women lacking in the chest department. They were all over the runway for swimsuit season 2013. Do wear a ruffled suit in a fun color, like yellow or red. A pink ruffled suit can look too girly-girl. For cover ups, stick with denim shorts and steer clear of sarongs or cover ups that have ruffles. You don’t want to overdo it!

Crochet - Crochet bathing suit adds a retro edge to this summer staple. Look for a bikini that features a crochet top or bottom, since a one-piece in crochet may look a bit much. You’ll find lots of crochet in neon and other brights, which definitely updates the design from the 1970. To keep this look modern, pair with super-short denim shorts or sporty sweatshorts. Otherwise, crochet can look too flower child. Definitely test out your crochet suit for coverage before you hit the waves. The knit fabric can shrink up and become more revealing than it looks at first glance.

Bandeaus - The bandeau is in for 2013, as are retro silhouettes and prints. Combine a bandeau with any of these looks or look for a two-piece or a one-piece with a bandeau style top in your favorite color or print. Glamour suggests pairing a bandeau style top with denim shorts and an armload of bangles for a modern look that’s fun and balanced.

With all of these looks, do put on sunscreen and reapply regularly to keep your skin healthy. Bring a cover up and sun hat, and don’t forget the best beach accessory of all: Friends to share some fun in the sun with you.

We’ve all attended weddings and we have, undoubtedly, oohed and aahed as the bride, in her beautiful white wedding dress, walked towards the altar to marry the man she loves. Usually the wedding gown would bring out the natural beauty of the bride, however, there may have been times when you’d shake your head and silently wonder why she chose her bridal vestments. Not that the dress is awful (because all wedding dresses are beautiful)– but she probably could have chosen something better. As we enter the wedding month of June, we take a look at 7 celebrity wedding gowns that raised eyebrows, one way or another.

Actor Jeffrey Damnit’s headshot highlights the piercings on his nose, eyebrows and ears

Piercing or body piercing has become increasingly popular, both among the young and not so young, nowadays. Walk down any street, in any city, in any country and chances are you will always bump into someone who has, at the very least, one kind of body piercing.